Former Dixmoor, Robbins police officer faces child porn charges

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A former south suburban police officer is facing child pornography charges.

Investigators said they found several pornographic images and videos of children under the age of 13 on a cell phone belonging to Tory Bridgeforth, 37, of Chicago Heights.

Bridgeforth worked for the Dixmoor Police Department from 2021 to 2022 and for the Robbins Police Department in 2019, according to a press release from the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

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The Cook County Sheriff's Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit said it began investigating Bridgeforth after it received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child pornography that was found on an email account.

Bridgeforth was arrested on Jan. 18, when he allegedly told investigators he used his cellphone to view child pornography. Authorities said a forensic examination of his phone revealed more than 35 sexually explicit images and videos of children as young as 8.

Bridgeforth is charged with possession of child pornography videos of victims under 13, possession of child pornography videos of victims under 18, and possession of child pornography images of victims under 18.

He is scheduled to appear at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Saturday.